So called “bag in box” (BIB) systems for delivering cold sodas, juices and other flavored drinks, are commonly used today in restaurants and other commercial establishments. BIB systems are used to dispense both carbonated and noncarbonated beverages but are generally found only in commercial establishments. BIB systems are rarely put into residential use because of their initial high cost and large size which raise a barrier to their purchase and installation in the home.
One of the necessary components of a BIB system is a device for cooling the beverage. While it is desirable to use a cooling device with noncarbonated beverages, the cooling device plays a vital role in keeping the carbon dioxide gas in a carbonated beverage after it has been released from the dispenser nozzle. Two types of cooling devices are commonly used: cold plates and water bath chillers. Since the inception of BIB systems, cooling devices have generally been relatively large, expensive, high volume designs intended for commercial applications.
It would be desirable to have a BIB cold beverage delivery system which could be economically manufactured and installed. It would be especially desirable to have a BIB cold beverage delivery system which was well adapted for residential use. It would be even more desirable if the system was relatively small and hence suitable for placement in locations which could not accommodate a larger system. Thus, it would be desirable to have a BIB design which employed a cooling device which was relatively small, inexpensive and well adapted for installation in a home kitchen cabinet. In short, it would be desirable to have a BIB cold beverage delivery system which was well adapted to be installed and used in a conventional home environment.
In accordance with the present invention, a remote cooling device for small beverage systems for home use is provided. The device uses cold plate cooling in combination with a self contained small counter top ice maker. The cold drink dispensing system of the present invention incorporates the cooling device and is small enough to easily fit in typical residential kitchen cabinet. The system of the present invention can be manufactured at a reasonable cost and is cost effective to use in the average home. These and other advantages will be apparent from the following disclosure and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.